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REPORT 



OF THE 



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Board of Controllers of Public Schools 



FIEST SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



EDWIN McCALLA, Chairman. 



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PHILADELPHIA: 

CRISSY & MARKLEY, PRINTERS, GOLDSMITHS HALL, LIBRARY STREET. 
1861. 



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REPORT 






Board of Controllers of Public Schools 



OF THE 



FIEST SCHOOL DISTEICT OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



EDWIIT McCAIiLA, Chairman. 



PHILADELPHTAT""*' 

CRISSY & MABKLEY, fBINTERS, fiOLBSHITHS HALL, LIBRARY STREET. 

1861. 



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REPORT. 



To tlie Board, of Controllers; 

The Committee on Text-Books, in presenting this report to 
the Board for adoption, feel it incumbent upon themselves in 
some way to notice various ill-advised attacks made upon 
them by editors and others, and also to expose some misre- 
presentations which have grown into importance only by 
being often repeated. 

From certain conductors of the press we expect neither 
compliment nor justice, since we have no advertising patron- 
age to bestow and no intention of offering its equivalent. 
Nor do we look for commendations from the tongues of those 
whose inferior or antiquated books we shall recommend to be 
discarded or superseded ; and, in the pursuit of what they deem 
their proper business, if they feel obliged to purchase our 
vilification in certain journals, we do not greatly censure 
them if they can find men whose published praise and blame 
are marketable commodities. 

When such men scandalize us we shall not care to answer 
except so far as they are countenanced by Controllers. But 
upon the floor of this Board — in this body, in which our acts 
are mutually scrutinized, where we expect to give an account 
to each other, and, if needs be, require it — here we will and 
can defend ourselves from all accusations, if we are met with 



that candor and courtesy whicli become the official inter- 
course of honorable men. Here accusations can be made and 
met ; and when those who have stealthily slandered this Com- 
mittee, or any Committee of this body, have their sentiments 
publicly or privately sustained by any fellow-members, it 
becomes us all to invite accusation and to challenge investi- 
gation. Then the impeachers of motives and integrity, and 
those they impeach, can meet face to face in open and free 
debate. When we are thus honorably and frankly met, we 
shall convince the impartial that we are well prepared to 
vindicate the propriety of our motives, and to establish the 
integrity of all our official acts. 

We are prepared to compare records with any Committee 
of the Board, and to give good reasons for all we have done 
and all we have recommended. But we want those who may 
oppose us to mark that we desire them to oppose oar facts 
with facts, and to combat our reasons with reasons. It is 
not our wish to encourage any mere partisan policy, nor 
shall we look idly on if it shall be attempted by others. 

ORIGIN OF THE COMMITTEE. 

Some v/ho should have known better have given rise to 
the report that this Committee was originated by the oppo- 
nents of the Committee on Supplies, and that it was consti- 
tuted to supersede that Committee, or to interfere with it. 
Nothing can be farther from the truth than such an assertion, 
as a reference to the minutes of the Board attests. 

The Text-Book Committee was originated by Mr. J. R. 
Angney, of the Fifth Section, who, at the Stated Meeting 
held December 13th, 1859, and while he was a member of 
the Committee on Supplies, offered the following preamble 
and resolutions : 

" Whereas, The proper selection of books to serve as stand- 
ards of instruction in our Public Schools is one requiring 



knowledge, deliberation, and care, to an extent sufficient to 
require the labors of a Special Committee : therefore 

Resolved, That a Standing Committee of five members be 
appointed, to be denominated *The Committee on Text-Books.' 

Resolved, That it shall be the duty of this Committee to 
investigate the merits of the books proposed for adoption in 
the Public Schools, and recommend to the Board for ap- 
proval such as may be deemed suitable. They shall also 
report to the Board such books or other publications as do 
not deserve to be retained. 

Resolved, That they shall be aided in the performance of 
their duties, whenever deemed necessary, by the advice of 
any of the Professors or Teachers engaged in the Public 
Schools, who are not interested, as authors or otherwise, in 
any of the publications used or proposed to be used in the 
Schools." 

The above preamble and resolutions at the same meeting 
were referred to the Committee on Rules. Before the Board 
adjourned, Mr. Michael Blynn, of the Twenty first "Ward, 
moved to re-consider the reference of the preamble and reso- 
lutions of Mr. Angney to the Committee on Rules, which 
was agreed to. 

Mr. Angney, a member of the Committee on Supplies, of 
which Mr. Rittenhouse was then and is now Chairman, and, to 
the eye of the Board, in the name of that Committee, stated 
that the members of the Committee on Supplies had too much 
work to attend to, and that, with their other duties, the pur- 
chase of books would be sufficient to demand their attention. He 
conceived that it would be a proper step for the Board to take, 
to institute a Committee on Text-Boooks, as had been done in 
the School Boards of other cities, whose special business it 
should be to examine books, and recommend their adoption 
or rejection. 

Thus is the origin of the Text-Book Committee traced to a 



member ©f the former Committee on Supplies, and instead of 
being constituted to interfere with that Committee, it is proved, 
from the records of this Board, to have been instituted to as- 
sume such duties, as that Committee, through one of its own 
members, expressed a desire to resign. 

On our side it is conceded, however, that before another 
month elapsed, those who had urged the creation of the new 
Committee desired its abolition. But it must also be conced- 
ed, on the other side, that this change of sentiment had not 
taken place because that Committee, for whose relief the Text- 
Book Committee had been organized, had become better able 
to discharge the duties assumed by the latter, or that they 
had obtained more leisure to discharge them. 

What had one month before been supported on public, was 
then opposed on personal grounds. 

As a piece of information upon this part of the history of 
the Committee, we give the following extract from the Min- 
utes of the Stated Meeting of January 10th, 1860, which con- 
sists of a Preamble and Resolution ofi'ered at the suggestion of 
a member of the Committee on Supplies : 

PREAMBLE. 

^'At a Meeting of the Board of Controllers, held on the 27th 
of December, 1859, a Committee was announced for the pur- 
pose of recommending to this Board such books as in their 
judgment should be introduced into the Public Schools, also 
to discontinue the use of such books as, in their opinion, 
should be removed from the Schools. As the said Committee 
is entirely separate and distinct from the Committee on Sup- 
plies, the latter body not being represented in this recently 
constituted Committee, it is evident that the appointment of 
such a Committee will disorganize the harmonious action 
which has heretofore resulted from the fact, that one and the 
same Committee have possessed the authority of recommend- 
ing as well as purchasing all the books used in our Schools. 



The Committee on Supplies have been directed by this 
Board to advertise for proposals to supply the Public Schools 
■with Books and Stationery for the ensuing year, 1860 ; the 
subject has received their attention. If the proposals take 
the usual course, they will be referred to the Committee on 
Supplies, with authority to enter into contract with the low- 
est and best bidder. This fact makes it essentially requisite 
that the Committee on Supplies should be a recommending 
as well as purchasing Committee, so that no large amount cf 
books be taken out of the Schools at a loss to the department, 
therefore: — 

RESOLUIION. 

Resolved, That all recommendations from the Commiftee 
on Text-Books, either for the introduction of new books into 
the Schools, or to discontinue the use of such books as are in 
the Schools, be first approved by the Committee on Supplies, 
prior to adoption by this Board." 

On motion of Mr. Frishmuth, the consideration of the sub- 
ject was indefinitely postponed. 

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE COMMITTEE. 

The question of the aims of the originators of this Com- 
mittee, however, are unimportant, when compared to that of 
the effectiveness or inefiiciency of its work, or to the pru- 
dence or injudiciousness of its recommendations. A record 
of the acts of this Committee, placed parallel to those of 
previous Committees on Supplies, during a similar period of 
time, will clearly exhibit the fact that, if there is any wis- 
dom and propriety in reducing the number of recommenda- 
tions for adding new books to the list, both have been dis- 
played by the Text-Book Committee to a greater extent 
than by any Committee on Supplies since the passage of the 
Act of Consolidation. 



8 

The < Text-Book Committee, from its origin, December 
13tli, 1859, to the present time, a period of thirteen months, 
at three meetings, recommended the addition of only the 
following works to the list of supplies : 

1. Potter & Hammond's Copy Books. 

2. Historical Companion. 

3. Philbrick's Tablets. 

4. Willson's Readers. 

5. Hillard's Beaders. 

6. Worcester's Speller. 

Only the first four items were adopted by the Board, two 
being text-books. 

In the same period of time, at five meetings, the Com- 
mittee on Supplies, with all its other multifarious duties to 
attend to, found time to examine and endorse the following 
heavy list, every item of which was adopted by this Board : 

1. Webster's Primary Dictionary. 

2. " Common School Dictionary. 

3. " High School " 

4. " Academic " 

5. " University " 

6. " Boyal Octavo " 
T. Greenleaf 's National Arithmetic. 

8. " Common School Arithmetic. 

9. Lovell's Fifth Reader. 

10. Sanders' Fifth Reader. 

11. Warren's Primary Geography. 

12. American Pronouncing Dictionary. 

13. Pelton's Outline Maps. 

14. Sheppard's Constitutional Text Book. 

15. Worcester's School Dictionary. 

16. " Comprehensive Dictionary. 

17. " Academic '' 

18. " Universal and Critical Dictionary. 

19. American Reader. 



9 

It is evident, from the exposition, tliat tlie complaints so 
often urged against this Committee on Text-Books have not 
been based upon a knowledge of the facts ; but that the 
recommendations of the Committee on Supplies of last year 
have been unjustly, though, perhaps, ignorantly, imputed to 
this. 

COST OF INTRODUCING BOOKS. 

Another widely spread error is that the insertion of a book 
upon the list costs the public a large sum of money. The 
notion is without foundation. Many have been introduced 
without cost to the public, because teachers have not ordered 
them after they had been placed upon the list. It is well 
known by all who are conversant with our system, that no 
text-books are purchased until orders for them from teach- 
ers reach our office, each order bearing the signature of a 
visiting Director to attest its necessity and genuineness. 
From the books placed upon the list of supplies, teachers 
have their choice, and they can order those which, in their 
judgment, are best fitted for their schools. If teachers order 
unwisely or too extensively, the Directors upon their schools 
can cancel their orders, or their amounts may be denied 
them at the office of the Board. Besides, according to the 
present method of delivering supplies, no teacher can over- 
draw a certain pro rata appropriation, the distribution of 
which is entirely under Jihe revision of the Committee on 
Supplies. The cost of supplying any work is in the hands of 
teachers and Directors. If they order new books before the 
old are useless, or if they send for more than they require, 
these are matters over which the members of the Text-Book 
Committee have no jurisdiction, and for which they are not 
accountable. 



10 



f REDUCTION or LIST OF SUPPLIES. 

The public have another impression, which is, that the list 
of books supplied by this Board is too extensive. For this 
opinion your Committee think there is some foundation. 
Not that we adopt the fallacy that a large list of supplies 
necessitates any more expense than a small list, but because 
many of the works now subject to the order of teachers are 
never called for, others are too antiquated, and others are 
unnecessary, imperfect, or objectionable on other accounts. 

It is one of the duties of this Committee to report to the 
Board such books or other publications as do not des.erve 
to be retained ; and after a thorough scrutiny of all our sup- 
plies, we feel convinced that it would be a work of prudence 
to recommend the Board to discontinue the supply of the 
following works : 

1. Lovell's Readers. 

2. Emerson's Readers. 

3. Conversations on Common Things. 

4. Child's First Reader. 

5. " Second '^ 

6. The American Reader. 

7. Baldwin's Pronouncing G-azetteer. 

8. Familiar Science. 

9. Goodrich's History of the United States. 

10. Davenport's " " " " 

11. Thomas' Etjmiology. 

12. Lynd's First Book of Etymology. 

13. Comly's Speller. 

We recommend the Board to stop the supply of the above 
works for the reasons which follow : 

LovelVs Readers ; because those classes for which they are 
suited are sufficiently provided with other works of a better 
grade of reading, and reading matter which is entirely unob- 



11 

jectionable. The series, also, is defective, inasmuch as the 
*' Fifth Reader" contains lessons sufficiently difiicult for pupils 
of the first or highest divisions of Grammar Schools, while 
the "Fourth Reader," the next book of the series, does not 
contain reading matter sufficiently difficult for the fourth 
divisions of Grammar Schools, thus showing that the series is 
imperfect, not connected in design, or not at all suited to the 
schools of this District. 

Conversations on Common Things^ 

Child's First Reader, 

Child's Second Reader^ and 

The American Reader ; because thej are detached works, 
not properly connecting with any series, and not much in de- 
mand. The places which they have heretofore occupied can 
readily be filled with superior works. 

JEmersons Readers, 

Baldwin s Pronouncing Gazetteer; because it has already 
been supplied, as far as is desired, to the schools of the District. 
Being merely supplied as a work of reference for teachers 
and not as a text-book for pupils, only one copy is all that any 
school should obtain for many years. 

Familiar Science; because it is no longer in demand. 

Goodrich's History of the United States, and 

Davenport's History of the United States ; because they are 
but little demanded, and a sufficient number of histories re- 
main upon the list without them. 

Thomas' Etymology and Lynd's First Book of Etymology, 
There are, at present, upon the list, four works which cover 
about the same ground on etymology, namely : 

Lynds Class Booh, 
Lynd's First Booh, 
Thomas' Etymology^ and 
The Scholar's Companion. 

Since any one of these books contains nearly the same matter 



12 

as the o^ers, the Committee deem it prudent to recommend 
that only the two best be retained upon the list. 

Comlys Spelling Bock ; because it adopts no standard of 
orthography, (being neither Websterian nor Conservative,) 
it rarely indicates the sounds of vowels, it does not mark the 
place of accents, its matter is unsystematized and of an infe- 
rior quality, and it contains no rules for spelling. Its paper, 
binding, and printing are of the most miserable kind ; and 
it is known to be the most unseemly and unsuitable book fur- 
nished by the Board. 

INTRODUCTION OF BOOKS. 

The Committee are also prepared to recommend the adop- 
tion of Worcester's Pronouncing Spelling Book, Greenleaf 's 
First Arithmetic, and Hillard's Readers, for use in the Public 
Schools of Philadelphia. As two of these recommendations 
may require some explanation, the Committee are anxious 
to give their reasons for them in full ; but, before entering 
into the merits of the work first recommended, we desire to 
state a few pertinent facts. 

WORCESTER'S AND COMLY'S SPELLER. 

Under the previous Board, Worcester's Pronouncing Spell- 
ing Book was recommended for adoption at the stated meeting 
in June, 1860. It was called up for adoption in September, 
but, at the suggestion of members, was laid over until October, 
at the stated meeting, in which month it was introduced with 
but one dissenting voice. At the suggestion of the member 
from the Seventh Section the matter was reconsidered in No- 
vember, and the introduction of the work was lost by a tie 
vote, without a single reason being adduced for this adverse 
action. 

As the Committee had carefully examined the work, and 



13 

felt confiderit that it was more worthy of a place in our schools 
than others already in use, they were surprised at the course 
pursued in regard to it, and still more so at observing that 
no objection had been made to the adoption of the work, 
until the appearance of a certain book-agent (in the employ of 
the publishers of Comly's Speller) made his appearance in 
the city. 

Notwithstanding all adverse action, the Text-Book Commit- 
tee, having the good of the pupils of our schools at heart, and 
enjoying the right to recommend for their use those works 
which the Committee believe best calculated to improve and 
instruct, repeat their former recommendation, commending to 
the careful attention of the Board the following comparison 
of the qualities of Comly's and Worcester's Spelling Books : 

Worcester's Spelling Book is superior to Comly's — 

First. Because it always indicates the proper sound of 
vowels, whether they are long, short, or obscure. 

Secondly/. Because it always marks the place of the princi- 
pal accents of words. 

Thirdly/. Because its exercises for dictation teoch the proper 
uses of the words in sentences, as well as furnish an excel- 
lent means of reviewing their orthography. 

Fourthly, Because its matter is better systematized than 
Comly's. 

Fifthly. Because it contains copious rules for spelling; 
Comly's contains no rules for spelling. 

Sixthly. Because its matter is not only superior in all 
respects to Comly's, but there is much more of it. It is a 
larger book, having larger pages, more of them, and more 
densely printed text. 



14 

Seventldy. Because the orthography of Worcester is Con- 
servative, while that of Comlj is neither Websterian nor Con- 
servative. 

1st. Worcester's Speller always indicates the proper sounds 
of vowels, whether they are long or short, &c. Comly's 
never presents any such information in the spelling exercises. 

On page 33 of Comly's Speller the word latitude is inserted, 
and, for anything that Coraly indicates to the contrary, begin- 
ners might pronounce it lay-ti-tude or lat-eye-tude. 

On page 131 of Worcester's Speller, the same word occurs, 
and scholars previously drilled in the key, on page 9, can have 
no difficulty in determining its proper pronunciation without 
having heard the word pronounced. 

On page 96 of Comly's Speller is found the word adventi- 
tious, but for want of any exhibition of its pronunciation, 
pupils might call it adven-tie-shuSy or any thing but what 
they should. 

On page 133 of Worcester's Speller the same word occurs; 
and by means of the marks there provided, the true pronun- 
ciation can be determined by pupils without other help than 
that provided by the bock itself. 

And so with more than 8,000 words inserted in the work. 
A. scholar drilled in the key, on page 9, cannot be at a loss 
for pronunciation ; w^hile in Comly's Speller, no complete sys- 
tem is provided ; and pupils, of themselves, will always be at 
a loss for pronunciations. 

2d. Worcester's Speller always marks the place of the 
principal accent. 

This is a very important advantage. Taking the word 
last instanced on page 96 of Comly's Speller, it will be 
observed, a pupil who had not heard the word pronounced would 
not know whether it was accented ad^;en'^titious or adven- 
tiiili''as. But on page 133 of Worcester's Speller, the accent 



15 

placed upon the third syllable shows where the great stress 
of the voice should be put. 

And so on through the thousands of words contained in 
the w^ork. Comly only inserts accents in his dictionary at 
the end of his book, while Worcester inserts them throughout 
all of his exercises. 

8d. "Worcester inserts exercises for dictation or writing 
exercises. Comly does nothing of the kind. Comly's work 
is barren of combinations of words except in childish exercise.*, 
which are not so much in place in spelling-books as in rudimen- 
tary reading books. Any of our readers for children have bet- 
ter exercises. Worcester not only gives you a collection of dif- 
ficult words to spell orally, but he also gives combinations of 
the same words in sentences, to be written by the scholar, so 
that the exercise on every word is doubled, and pupils are 
taught to write out words, as well as to spell them orally. 
This feature extends throughout the work, and adds much to 
its value ; for many pupils will spell words orally, which they 
will fail to write correctly. 

4th. The matter of Worcester's Speller is better systematized 
than Comly's. Comly evidently has had no system, except to 
put easy vrords in one part of his work, and difficult ones in 
another. The nicer distinctions by which Worcester has clas- 
sified have been almost altogether disregarded by him. 

Open to any page of Worcester's Speller, containing a col- 
lection of words to spell, and a remark will be found at the 
top of the list, which tells you why those w^ords have been 
printed together. For example on pages 6b, 92, &c. 

5th. Worcester's Speller contains copious rules for spelling ; 
Comly's Speller does not contain a single rule to aid pupils in 
mastering the numerous irregularities of our language. This is 
the omission of a yery essential part of a complete spelling- 
book. 



16 

From page 137 to page 147 in Worcester's Speller is taken 
up by g;iving all necessary rules for English spelling, and by 
examples and exceptions to the rules. 

No work which omits the prominent rules of spelling is 
worthy of being dignified by the name of a spelling -hook. It 
might, to some extent, have suited the city schools twenty 
years ago ; and it might yet suit some of the most distant 
countr}^ schools, but it is not now suited to the demands even 
of our Primary Schools. 

6th. The matter of Worcester's Spelling-book is not only su- 
perior, but there is, also, a greater amount of matter in it, 
having more pages, larger pages, and a more densely printed 
text than the other. This point will be readily established 
by an inspection of the books. 

7th. The spelling of Worcester is Conservative, and, conse- 
quently, it is the most general of our language. This character- 
istic, which has been made an objection by some, is, on the con- 
trary, a decidedly superior qualification. To have a spelling 
recognized wherever the English language is written, and 
endorsed as the only correct spelling by nearly all of the 
great masters of our language for the last century, can cer- 
tainly be nothing but a recommendation for any work. It 
is that spelling w^hich is best authenticated, and which is 
most durable. 

Comly's Speller is neither Vy^ebsterian nor Conservative. 
On the very same page it gives, within a few lines of each 
other, one spelling recognized only by Webster, and another 
never recognized by Webster. Thus this work is unsyste- 
matic and faulty, without a standard for itself, or a guide 
for its pupils. 

In proof of the very unsystematic method of compiling Com- 
ly's work, reference is made to page 29, upon which the word 
fulfil is given in the Conservative form, and two lines below 



17 

it instill is given in its Websterian form ; on page 62, meager 
is given in the Websterian form, and two lines below it 
metre is given in the Conservative form ; on page 148, maugre 
is given in the Conservative form, and two lines below it meager 
is given in the Websterian form ; and so on. 

Thus, in a brief way, w^e have shown some of the superiori- 
ties of Worcester's Speller ; and so clearly will its merits be 
seen by any who will impartially examine it, that it is posi- 
tively certain that any one who would sanction its rejection 
from the list of supplies must do it for some other consideration 
than that of the good of the pupils, or of the Schools. Let the 
works on spelling introduced by this Board be compared with 
it by any intelligent man, and he cannot fail to prefer Wor- 
cester. 

hillaed's reader. 

The Committee have, also, fully reconsidered the question of 
the introduction of Hillard's Readers, and are convinced that 
their addition to the books in use in our schools would be a 
great educational gain. As a series, they are eminently 
suited to the different divisions of our schools. The reading 
matter of the " First Reader" is well suited to the capacity 
of the pupils of the first divisions of Grammar Schools, and 
the "Second Reader" to the second divisions, and so on. 
This cannot truly be said of any series heretofore in use, and 
it is an advantage of moment, as consecutive, graduated, and 
progressive lessons in reading are as essential to a well-sus- 
tained progress in that branch as such lessons in arithmetic 
are necessary to a well-sustained progress in it. 

The objection that it is not a Philadelphia production should 
have no weight in the matter, as no series of Readers in use 
is the work of a Philadelphian ; besides, the question is not, 
who is the author, but is it suited to our scholars and our 
Schools ? 



18 

The second objection is equally futile. Some do not favor 
Hillard< because his spelling is not Websterian ; but they do 
not object to any other Reader for the same reason ; other- 
wise there could not be found a sufficient number to provide 
all the classes of our different grades of Schools. And 
"why insist so strongly for Websterian spelling in a city in 
■which not a single newspaper endorses Dr. Webster's system ; 
in which not a single publishing house endorsed it, until within 
two years ; and in which the spelling of almost every book 
that is issued, or letter that is written, is in violation of his 
orthography ? We are willing that the advocates of Dr. 
Webster sh:ill have their representative books, but we also 
desire to see the advocates of the Conservative system, which 
was developed principally by Walker, Smart, Richardson, 
Johnson, and Worcester, have theirs. As both systems of 
dictionaries stand side by side upon the lists, giving Teachers 
a choice, we see no fair objection to the same being permitted 
with Readers. 

As embodying the practical suggestions of this report, your 
Committee offer, for adoption, the following 

RESOLUTIONS : 

EesoJved, That Worcester's Speller and Hillard's Readers 
be adopted as text-books in the Public Schools of Philadel- 
phia. 

Resolved, That the following text-books be stricken from 
the list of supplies : 

Lovell's Readers. 

Emerson's " 

Conversation on Common Things. 

Child's First Reader. 

Child's Second Reader. 

The American Reader. 



19 

Baldwin's Pronouncing Gazetteer. 

Familiar Science. 

Goodrich's History of the United States. 

Davenport's *' '* " 

Thomas' Etymology. 

Lynd's First Book of Etymology. 

Comly's Speller. 

Resolved^ That the first of the series of Greenleaf's Arith- 
metics be introduced, to be used in the Public Schools of this 
District. 

E. McCALLA, 
R. Q. SHELMERDINE, 
ISAAC LEECH, Jr., 
WM. J. REED, 
JAS. S. CHAMBERS, 
Committee on Text-BooTcs. 

Philadelphia, January Sth, 1861. 



